Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 1

Doctor Who returned to our screens for the 15th Doctor’s first season, and well. This certainly was a choice of a first episode. Not even just a first episode – a launch of brand new Who. The launch of the Whoniverse, broadcasted on Disney Plus and BBC, a fresh dawn of a new age. The episode that’s meant to bring in new faces, the episode that sets the tone for the rest of the series, the episode that showcases to the audience ‘this is who we are now’. And this was the one that was chosen. 

I was among the many that was looking forward to Russell T. Davies returning as the showrunner for Doctor Who. I had enjoyed a lot of Davies’ post-Who shows, especially Years and Years, as he wrote with a seriousness I wasn’t used to with Doctor Who. Not to say it was never serious, but it seemed to be tongue in cheek, the profound moments often punctuated with a wink or cheeky grin. I was also amongst the many who was looking forward to Ncuti Gatwa stepping into the role, having loved his performance in his breakout role of Sex Education. His performance as Eric Effiong provided more than comic relief, a certain gravitas shining through as his character tried to find the balance between his faith and his identity. 

This, on paper, seemed to be a match made in heaven. So why was this episode chosen to showcase the result of what should have been a great pairing?

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The Review

Image by BBC Studios Production

The episode is set on a space station seemingly run by babies, with a bogeyman lurking beneath. The babies can talk in complete sentences, they can run things smoothly, and are otherwise happy, aside from their lack of parentage and their fear of the monster lurking in the shadows beneath them. The Doctor and Ruby work together to figure out the mystery of the bogeyman, and ultimately try to give the babies a chance to find a home before it’s too late. 

Look, I can forgive many things. As someone who grew up with Nu-Who, who watched from the first episode of Christopher Eccleston’s venture, I’m aware of just how ridiculous the series can be. Eccleston’s first episode featured mannequins coming to life. Peter Capaldi’s turn had a dinosaur roaming Victorian London as he experienced an identity crisis. I’m not expecting top of the range quality for the first episode. The Doctor trying to figure out who they are is a first episode tried and tested formula. 

I can forgive the loaded exposition. Ncuti explaining the new backstory when asked about his history, (The Timeless Child is sticking, sorry to all who hated it), passionately yelling GONE at Millie Gibson’s Ruby, as she asks where his family is, where his world is. The over-explaining of what the TARDIS is, and oh look, this is how the language actually looks, you’re just seeing it as English because of the TARDIS function, and oh, it’s disguised as a police box because it has a chameleon function, and oh did you know…? 

I can forgive the childish nature of this episode. Of course it was going to be childish, what with the story being centred around abandoned babies in space. The space station is being haunted by a bogeyman made of literal bogies. It can move through space by the power of dirty nappies being trapped after the system has malfunctioned. It’s weird but hey, that’s what Doctor Who can be like. If there was an episode where Agatha Christie solves the mystery of a giant wasp, there can be an episode where the babies are saved by the power of their own dirty nappies. 

I can forgive what seems to be a lack of direction in the episode as a whole and the bizarre pacing. It felt like the episode was in such a rush to finish, but that if that was the only issue, it would be annoying but fine. It’s a fresh start and I get that everyone is trying to find their feet as they start a new world. 

Image by BBC Studios Production

I can forgive a lot of things, but I can’t forgive it all at the same time. I can’t turn a blind eye to all the big and small things that have created such a weak first episode. If this was a filler episode, something where the mystery keeps turning, but it’s just a little weirdness and stupidity before the grand finale, fine. I could accept it as an episode. I could find even a smidge of joy in it. 

As a first episode? The episode that’s there to set the tone, to tell the audience how things are going to play out this series? No. Absolutely not. It’s like they’ve started the race, but they’ve immediately tripped over their shoelace and will have to play catch up with the rest of the series. 

I know this is reading as an old man yells at cloud review, as if I watched the episode in a complete rage, and while my face remained largely neutral during the episode, there were a couple of things I enjoyed about it. I liked the throwback moments the writers threw in there to placate older fans – The Doctor fixing Ruby’s phone so she can still call her mum and the pair of them looking out the window at the world below was reminiscent of The Doctor and Rose having a similar moment. 

The chemistry between Ncuti and Millie is also so lovely to watch. It’s like a genuine friendship is blossoming on screen. In-between all the other nonsense, the time travel and the space babies, there is a pair of best friends laughing with one another. If I had passed them on the way back from a night out, I would have had the same feeling – ‘aw, they look like they’re having fun.’ Millie seems to radiate genuine care and affection for everyone she interacts with. Ncuti remains brilliant, and I know it takes a lot for someone to step into a role that’s older than they are. It will take time to find his footing. I understand that, and largely, accept that. 

Image by BBC Studios Production

It just seems like such a weird choice to begin this new verse with such a boring, juvenile story. While it seems to be an allegory for abortion rights and how the pro-lifers treat the idea of childbearing (“they won’t stop the babies from being made but after they don’t take care of them?”), I feel like there must have been a better way of putting that idea across (although, luckily it wasn’t as on the nose as Orphan 55, so that’s a bonus). 

I think possibly the best thing about the episode was the continuation from the Christmas special. The groundwork is being laid for the mystery of Ruby Sunday and her parentage, and it seems like the series is gearing up slowly for what should be an interesting reveal. In all honesty though, it’s a good thing they launched with a double bill, because I could see a lot of people not coming back following this episode. Luckily, episode two seemed to be a lot better than this one – you can read our review here for that one. 

I just hope the writing keeps improving, otherwise the overall mystery will need to have an incredible payoff – they may be setting themselves up for a fall.

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Where to Watch Doctor Who Season 1?

Doctor Who season 1 can be watched live on BBC One or streamed on the BBC IPlayer for UK residents and Disney Plus for non UK residents, with new episodes releasing weekly.

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